454 pyrosequencing of the ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in paddy soils. ammonia oxidizing bacteria ensemble

We collected 33 paddy soil samples from the major rice-growing regions across South and North China. The total genomic DNA was extracted from these soil samples, and the amoA genes of the ammonia oxidizing microorganisms (AOA and AOB) were PCR amplified. The resulting PCR products were purified and sent for 454 pyrosequencing. This project aims to understand the large-scale distribution patterns of ammonia oxidizers in typical Chinese paddy soils. Our findings suggest that both AOA and AOB are of potential functional importance in paddy soil nitrification, and ammonia oxidizers in paddy ecosystems exhibit large-scale biogeographic patterns shaped by soil pH, geographic distance, and climatic factors.